JAMAICA: Prime Minister Holness Urgess Caution by Persons Traversing Newly Upgraded Roadways

#Kingston, June 4, 2018 – Jamaica – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is urging citizens to exercise discipline and care when traversing newly upgraded roadways.  He emphasized that the Government’s investment in multiple ongoing infrastructural developments island-wide must be protected and not be undone by undisciplined road users.

“We will do everything within our powers to ensure that the infrastructure is designed in a way for efficiency; but that efficiency can be thwarted if the people who use it are determined to be undisciplined,” he said while addressing journalists following a tour of several legacy road projects in the Corporate Area on Friday (June 1).

Mr. Holness lamented that pedestrians, in particular, have developed a culture where they feel they are not obliged to adhere to stipulations in the Road Code or Road Traffic Act.  He argued, however, that “with these kinds of infrastructure that carry mass volumes of traffic, it is… for your own safety that you follow the rules of the road; it is in our interest as citizens to use these newly developed infrastructure safely”.

In this regard, the Prime Minister said he has instructed the National Security Ministry, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and National Works Agency (NWA) to “step up our public education (campaign), because the people in these areas need to be educated as to how to use these new infrastructure, and not to see (them) as impositions”.

Meanwhile, Mr. Holness said he has taken note of concerns raised by commuters regarding the new roadways, particularly in the Corporate Area.  He pointed out that the issues include the short time-span within which signals at pedestrian crossings change, accommodation for the elderly, drainage, parking and possible reconfiguration of crossings points.

“The NWA will take those concerns on board and, in short order, try to address them,” Mr. Holness assured.

On Friday, the Prime Minister toured the Barbican Road Upgrade Project, which is now complete; Constant Spring Road Improvement Project; Mandela Highway Realignment and Reconstruction Project; and the Hagley Park Road Improvement Project.

These legacy projects, which fall under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP), are aimed at significantly improving the targeted roadways to facilitate seamless travel by the commuting public.

The projects are spearheaded by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, through the NWA, and executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC).

Release: JIS

Photo Captions: 

Header: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left, foreground), makes a point to Chief Executive Officer, National Works Agency, E.G. Hunter, about a matter concerning improvement works being done on Hagley Park Road in St. Andrew, during a tour of the project on Friday (June 1). Hagley Park Road Improvement Project was among several legacy projects, being developed in the Corporate Area under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme, which Mr. Holness toured.

Insert: Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right), illustrates the proper procedure which pedestrians should employ when attempting to cross a roadway, during Friday’s (June 1) tour of the newly upgraded Barbican Road in St. Andrew. Looking on is Network Planning and Research Manager, National Works Agency, Rae Parchment. The Barbican Road Improvement Project was among several legacy projects in the Corporate Area, being developed under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP), which Mr. Holness visited on Friday (June 1).

Photographer: Donald De La Haye